How Asian Culture Has Influenced the Slot Game Industry

min read
A 5x3 slot grid with various Asian-inspired symbols on it, including a Yin and Yang, gold ingots, and lotus symbols; All on a background of several rice fields on the side of a hill.
BetMGM Jun 14, 2024, 5:35 AM

The largest continent on Earth, Asia, is home to an array of different cultures and ethnic identities. The diversity is tremendous. Within each culture, the stories, food, traditions, and customs create a rich reservoir to learn about and for creatives to draw from.

Facets of Asian cultures have representation in many aspects of Western cultures like that of the United States. That includes online slots at BetMGM.

The vast library of slots with Asian themes from many different game providers is no coincidence. Asian themes are ubiquitous for several good reasons, which become clear upon reflection on the number and quality of slots with Asian themes.

 

Rich History and Mythology Make Asian-Themed Slots Fun

When you review the world’s most beloved legends and myths, you’ll discover that many of them are rooted in Asia. Those legends are intertwined with some of the oldest cultures on Earth in terms of their history.

Therefore, the historical, mythical, and religious iconography of these cultures is seemingly endless. For example, Chinese dragons have become one of the most popular Asian symbols in slot games.

If you want to check out a game with those symbols, register with BetMGM Casino and try your luck at Dragon Power. While the depth and quality of Asian cultural themes certainly make a great canvas for slot creators, it’s not all about the visuals. The best online slots with Asian themes also owe their game mechanics to Asian cultures as well.

Asian Cultural Elements Drive Slot Game Features

The idea of good luck is pervasive across many cultures in and outside of Asia but the specifics of that idea and the importance of good fortune in many Asian cultures have become part of Western cultures, too. For example, it’s rare to visit a Chinese-American restaurant in the United States and not see fortune cookies.

While fortune cookies themselves have American influences, their legacy is inseparable from Asian roots. That example of how Asian culture has become a practical component of Americana translates to the mechanics of some of the best Asian-themed slots on BetMGM, too.

88 Fortunes Jackpot Festival is a great example of how Asian themes drive game features. Gold symbols can trigger jackpot wins, borrowing from aspects of riches being the result of good luck like Japanese Tanuki or Chinese red envelopes.

Cultural themes like enrichment and good fortune lend themselves to slot mechanics. In the same way, Asian cultural elements play into the sights and sounds of the games. But the connection between Asian culture and online slots isn’t just tangential.

Gambling Has Its Own Place in Asian Cultures

Legal gambling is present on the Asian continent. The Chinese province of Macau is well known for its casinos and India has a regulated system for online gambling, just as two examples.

There are some differences in Asian and Western cultural attitudes about gambling, however. For example, in China, gambling is mostly illegal outside of Macau. At the same time, most of the United States has some form of legal gambling.

Regardless, the existing gaming culture in Asian countries has facilitated the integration of other aspects of Asian culture into online slots. Without that acceptance, the use of such themes might have been very out of place.

That isn’t a concern for the developers of online slots, however. While there are no guarantees that doing so will make players as rich as Mongol warlords or Thai royalty, new players on BetMGM using their casino welcome bonus can learn about Asian cultures by playing the games.

Actress Vanessa Hudgens flipping casino chips next to the text "The King of Casinos"
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Our BetMGM editors and authors are casino experts with a wealth of knowledge of the online casino industry at all levels. Their coverage includes company news, game reviews, how-to instructional articles, strategy guides, and editorials showcasing BetMGM’s superior product and game library.

Our BetMGM editors and authors are casino experts with a wealth of knowledge of the online casino industry at all levels. Their coverage includes company news, game reviews, how-to instructional articles, strategy guides, and editorials showcasing BetMGM’s superior product and game library.